Tips

In the competitive job market, minor flaws will immediately put your job application into the waste bin if you’re not careful.  Here are several tips to help you win in the job application process.

Proofread:  Spelling and grammatical errors are the first thing employers will use to separate applicants.  Resumes with mistakes will not receive serious consideration for the job vacancy.

Professional Code of Conduct:  Politeness and listening to your interviewer our absolutely essential.  Slang words and phrases should be avoided.  Remember, your desire is to depict a mature, professional presence with the skills and education to make a positive impact at the organization.   

Appearance:  Dress in conservative colors and style for the interview.  Suits and ties for males and dress pants/skirt suit for females.

A Note on Job Descriptions:  A job description will include the job title, a short summary of the job, a list of duties & responsibilities, and qualification requirements.  Although this will help you understand more about the job, a description is not intended to include everything, so you may see a “perform other job-related duties as assigned” statement, too.

Apply for the Job You Want:  Enthusiasm, or the lack thereof, will usually be detected by the interviewers.  More importantly, apply for jobs you want! "If a job is worth wanting, it's worth preparing for." - Nick A. Corcodilos, author of Ask the Headhunter and www.asktheheadhunter.com

Promote Yourself:  Realize that you are your best promoter and as such, must identify, develop, and promote your most marketable skills.

New Contacts:   Make certain to identify new contacts every week. Never allow your list of contacts to diminish and   do not quit the job search process altogether just because you have an interview.  Continue to seek opportunities, new contacts, and apply for all job vacancies that match your qualifications.